Amnesties Suggested As Option In NI

An amnesty has been suggested as a way to deal with Northern Ireland’s troubled past.

According to NI’s Police Ombudsman, Al Hutchinson, it would be impossible to investigate all the murders from the Troubles. He believes that an amnesty is the best way to deal with the past.

Hutchinson said that the victims should have a say as to whether or not they might consider amnesty and that would be a conditional amnesty.

The Ombudsman said that he was not suggesting blanket amnesty but said focus on the victims and society needs, as opposed to a legal process that enriches people and revictimising people was needed in Northern Ireland.

This comes as concerns grow over the volume of cases being put to the Historical Enquiry Team and the amount of funding afforded to carry out theses investigations.

The HET was set up in 2005 to re-examine thousands of murders from the Troubles.

(LB)